Two Years
by korygraysons
Summary: Two years of time spent apart, of time to break and slowly heal. Two years since Kory and Dick broke up, but two years is a long time away from life left behind. So, Kory is moving back, collecting her things and making a home in the past. / RobStar, R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Two years.

It had been two years since Kory and Dick had argued, promptly broken up, and placed a thick distance between each other. That was two years of mending, two years of putting the pieces of a single heart back together, and two years of distance from loved ones.

The infamous argument that split the pair left everyone in shambles and utter chaos. The two had been high school sweethearts; together since junior year, through graduation and almost the entire duration of college. It was an unexpected fight. Sure, they had squabbled in the past, had their moments of brief fury, but nothing had shredded them and caused separation until that night. That's a story for another time though.

Nevertheless, it had nearly ruined their group of friends. The friendships they had were shared, so how was one to pick a side when they didn't know the details behind what happened? And no argument had happened to this extent before and then with the break up taking place, how was one to choose a side, to choose a friend? It shouldn't have been a choice, really. They were adults and capable of remaining friends with the two, but yet there was an evident sway.

Rachel, knowing more of the story than most, had leaned towards Kory's side. Roy and Garth had picked Dick's. Victor, who had already begun the process of moving away to New York for a football opportunity, chose Kory. His only comment on the matter had been that nobody could ever be his friend if they hurt his little sister. Donna chased Kory a few days after the split. She packed all of her things and moved, saying that Kory would need someone and wouldn't be able to do it on her own for too long. After all, a shattered heart needs companionship; a best friend. Gar and Wally were the only two that stood in a sort of middle ground. Their personalities were too lively and full of heart to be divided.

So, on the night of the break up, Kory had fled all the way to Brooklyn. At the time, Victor was in Jump City gathering the rest of his things and told her she could stay in his new place to collect herself. Donna, a day or two behind, caught a plane and found her. The two girls had stayed with Victor for a few weeks until they found an apartment together and moved out.

And that was that.

Kory, Donna, and Victor made a little life for themselves in Brooklyn. Donna dabbled in photography, Kory secured a job at a professional modeling agency, and Victor's football career kicked off and he even found himself a lovely girlfriend named Karen. Some of their friends—Rachel, Gar, and Wally—visited when they could. And while Kory's heartache had carried an air of melancholy around it for months, the gentle act of healing began its torturous process. With time, all wounds mend, or at the very least, they get covered up by a fresh beginning.

So, two years later, here we are.

"Kory, you _can't_ be serious."

"I'm serious." She repeated the words for the hundredth time. They had taken on a bland sound when departing her lips now. "I'd be foolish not to take the offer."

"But you've gotten offers from there before, honey, and you've never taken them. And with good reason, too." Donna countered, voice softening. "It's just... it's a big decision to make and we should really sit down and talk about it before you do anything. Is it because of Vic? I know he's been thinking of moving back there and all, but you know he'd visit us all the time."

Kory shook her head, curls of cerise hair falling into her face. "It's not because of Vic." She sighed, searching for the words inside her head. The answer felt so basic though and sometimes simplicity could seem strange in the eyes of others. "Donna, you know why I left, why I took everything I could and abandoned nearly everything. You were there to deal with the aftermath of it. You were there when I cried, when I fell apart, when I didn't feel like getting up in the morning, when everything felt like too much, and you were there when I started healing. I'm not the only one that left behind everything. You did, too. For me. And you know I could never thank you enough for doing that, because I really needed someone to pick up my pieces and you sacrificed a lot to do it."

"Yeah, and I'd do it again and again." Genuine truth. They had partaken in similar conversations like this before. Some were a bit more emotional and filled with sobs, but others traveled along this line of nonchalance. These were just the facts. "But if you're thinking about moving back there because of me, then don't. Yeah, I left, but I'm happy with the life we built here. And don't do it for Vic or Karen either; they wouldn't want you to do it."

"It's not about you or Victor though." Not entirely. Of course, she felt bad, especially for Donna. Vic had already decided to move to Brooklyn, but Donna's arrival in the city was because of her. The guilt of it had consumed her for the first year, but still remained in the back of her head. Regardless, that wasn't why she had come to her recent decision.

"Then what's it about?"

"Firstly, the modeling agency that is offering me the job is _way_ better than the one I'm with now. I'd be getting so much more if I switched to them. It would be a great opportunity for me and I don't really want to pass it up. You know they've offered it to me a few times in the past, but I feel like they're getting tired of me saying no and I don't want the past to get in my way anymore. Secondly, I know your old job in Jump would gladly take you back in a heartbeat. You had more freedom there with your photography and it shows, so don't even try and tell me you don't miss it a little. Lastly... I miss our _friends_ , Donna. I miss Rachel, Gar, Wally, Garth, and Roy." Her heart gave a little tug. A name had been unmentioned and her heart was too aware of it. She'd add him to the list, but could he even be considered a friend anymore? Probably not. "I know Rachel and Gar come down every few months, and Wally drops over for Valentine's Day and Thanksgiving, but what about Garth and Roy? I haven't seen them once since I left and I know you've been missing Roy lately. I've heard you on the phone with him before."

Donna gave a shameful smile, but there should've been no reason for her to feel shame. "You have?"

"It's impossible to hide anything from me." Kory let out a little giggle, resting her hand over Donna's. "The point is, I miss them. I shouldn't have run off like I did. It wasn't fair to them, to you, or to me, but I'm ready to come back now. I'm ready to pick up where I left off, but better."

"But are you sure?" The worry was apparent, clear like glass. "I don't wanna bring him into this or anything, but Kory, he still lives there and our friends still hang out with him, so running into him would be an inevitable thing."

"It's been two years, Donna." Two years of breaking and fixing, two years of being able to move on without him around as a constant reminder. Not everyone is able to afford that luxury, but she did. "I'm over him now."

"I know you are, honey." Donna's palm went to Kory's cheek, a subtle touch of compassion. There was so much belief in Donna's eyes, but behind it was that layer of concern. "I was there though. I saw what happened after you two ended things. To put it bluntly, you were a mess. He wasn't a fling you just walked away from. You both dated for nearly six years and that's a lot to lose in one night, but you did and it impacted you a lot. I just... I don't want you to hurt from it any more than you already have."

"I'll be okay, I know I will." The statement carried so much hope; it overflowed with it. "I don't want him getting in the way of my life, of my friends. And I let him for two years, but I moved on and I'm ready to go back. You don't have to come with me if you don't want to, but I'm sure everyone will be happy to see you again." A sly grin traces the outline of her lips, tugging the corners of her mouth upwards. "Especially Roy."

Donna rolled her eyes, a blush blooming 'pon her cheeks. "So, you're really serious about this? You really want to do this?" A pause, a moment of hesitation. " _We're_ really doing this?"

Emerald eyes lit up, smile nearly touching the corners. "We're really doing this. We're really going back home."

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 **Author's Note:** _While this chapter was small, it was meant to be just a little introduction and to fill in some brief history. I'll try to upload once a week, but please note that reviews will definitely boost my confidence to write more so R &R! (; _


	2. Chapter 2

He'd give anything right now for time to tick by a second faster, for the minutes to pass by in the blink of an eye. He'd give anything to just be outside, to feel the sunlight prancing along his skin while he took in a fresh breath of air.

Exhausting.

Tedious.

Horrendous.

The day had crawled by too slow, devouring at every brain cell he had rattling around in his skull. At this point, he was down to two or three. If he couldn't get out of this office soon, he was sure he might spontaneously combust. His body would rupture, his skin would melt away and he'd become shrapnel across the floor. Not a pleasant way to go, but he'd take it.

Paperwork.

Meetings.

Interviews.

Typical aspects of a job, yet today was somehow different. Every document that needed his scribble on it were filled with too many little details that couldn't be overlooked, every meeting was pointless and dull, and every interview was lackluster. Words spat at him went over his head. Each voice he encountered was slowly becoming aggravating to hear. And to top it off, the most annoying girl in the entire world was blabbering in his ear.

He needed out. _Now._

"Katherine," he gritted his teeth. "Could I have a moment alone? I need to make a personal call; it should only take a few minutes."

The blonde looked up at him, nose scrunching in slight annoyance at the interruption, but she plastered on a faux smile anyways and gave a quick nod. "Of course, Dickie!" He cringed, head throbbing. "I'll just be right outside your door! Call me back in the second you're done!" She flitted away to his relief, but not without tossing a wink his way before shutting the door behind her.

He swiveled in his chair, pulled out his cellphone from his pocket, swept through his contacts and pressed call. It rang about four times before he got an answer.

"What's up, boss?" Wally's teasing voice sounded from the other line. "Aren't you at work still? Personal calls should be a big no."

"They aren't when your head is on fire and you're literally dying to get out of the place you've been stuck at since like five in the morning." He tried to match the friendly tone his friend offered, but couldn't quite do it. He mood was spoiled too long ago.

"Yikes... that sucks, man."

"Yeah, I know." Dick threw a glance towards his door, groaning at the sight of Katherine pressed against the glass with a grin. "I need you to save me from here, Wally. I can't take another three hours of this."

Wally chuckled. "Why don't you just take off in your car and leave? Just say screw it and get the hell out of there."

"I can't." He sighed and combed his hand through his hair. "If someone sees my car gone, everyone will know I left. Word will get around and Bruce will hear about it, then he'll bitch to me about how I'm not _responsible_ enough for this job and how anyone would _kill_ to have this position and I'm just _throwing_ it away like it's nothing." The headache that had manifested today worsened at the thought. "But, if my amazing best friend met me at the back of the building and picked me up, people would just think I'm wandering around somewhere and can't find me."

Roy's voice piped in. "Oh, so Wally's your best friend? After everything I've done for you, I can't believe it."

"You're just jealous that he called me and not you." Wally snapped playfully then quickly threw in, "Oh, by the way, Roy's with me."

"So, are you going to pick me up or not?" Dick ignored everything the two had said. He just wanted a confirmation on whether or not his freedom would be happening.

"You're going to be just splendid to be around," Wally grumbled. "But yeah, fine, I'll pick you up. Meet me in the back in a few minutes."

Maybe god was real, but in the form of a sometimes-pesky ginger. "Thank you, Wally."

"No problem, boss." The line went dead.

Shoving his phone into his pocket and grabbing his keys off the desk, he felt the small turn of his lips resemble a grateful smile. What a shame it had to vanish within a millisecond.

"Are you done with your call, Dickie?" Katherine's scratchy voice tore through the silence of his office.

A piece of him may have died inside at the mere reminder of her existence. "Yeah." A bland response, but he had no intentions of giving her more details than necessary. "I'm gonna go take a walk around for a few minutes, okay?"

"Can I come with?" She stalked towards him. "You might desire a bit of company, and you know I'm always here if you need me. For _anything_."

"I really just need a second alone, you know?" He stood up, swiftly avoiding the hand that reached towards him. He had become an expert at evading her touch. "But just make sure everyone keeps busy." A charming smile graced his façade. "I trust that you'll be able to do that."

"Of course I can, Dickie!" She practically vibrated in her spot. "I'm so happy to know that you trust me like that! Trust is such an important part of every _relationship_ , so it delights me to know we share just so much of it!"

"Yeah, trust..." Maneuvering around her greedy hands, he made a beeline to the exit. His fingers curled around the doorknob, pushing it to a close inch by inch. "Come and find me if anything serious happens." And with that, he slammed the door shut, concealing the swooning blonde inside for a minute, before strolling to the nearest elevator.

He got a few stares, but what was to be expected? He was the heir of Wayne Enterprises. Everyone was always too nice, too helpful, too obvious in their attempts to earn his praise and respect. For the most part, he ignored it, but did offer polite smiles to those that didn't try and kiss his ass.

Nevertheless, Wayne Enterprises was like a perplexing labyrinth, but he had mastered the skill of finding hidden doors, secret pathways, and exclusive exits. It was convenient for when he wanted an escape from this type of hell. In a matter of minutes, he found himself in the back-parking lot. It was a few minutes before Wally pulled up, beeping the horn and shouting light profanities his way. He sighed as the natural curve of a smile found its way to his veneer. He rushed towards the car, throwing himself into the backseat, and took in a breath of relief when Wally sped off.

"You owe me one for this, boss. I was busy doing shit." Wally laughed, tossing a glance to him in the rear-view mirror.

"Doing what?" He rolled down the window to let the cool breeze hit his face and brush through his hair. It was an instant comfort. "Running every restaurant in town out of business because of how much you consume in a day?"

"Hey!" Wally's exuberant grin was replaced with a vexed frown. "You don't know my life—"

Roy interrupted, "We were on our way to Taco Bell."

Dick's smile turned smug, but Wally's wall of defense kicked in and he blurted things out in a mess of sentences. "Okay, who cares if we're going to eat? I'm starving! And you know what, we weren't only going to get food because I don't need Roy's company to do that! For your information, I was gonna use _my_ money to buy our boy here a good-looking suit for when Donna and—" Roy's elbow jabbed into Wally's stomach, causing a minor swerve of the wheel. "Dude, what the hell? Do you want us to _die_?"

There was a moment of silence. It was uncomfortable, thick with a tension that Dick couldn't put his finger on. But he had caught the words Wally had spoken before he was cut off; it was the " _Donna and_ ". That half-spoken sentence was enough to make his heart skip a beat.

Everyone knew the story. He wasn't a fool to the whispers that went behind his back and the details his friends thought he was oblivious to. They all were aware of the infamous split between his ex and himself. He knew they still talked to her, but that didn't bother him. Why should he get all the friends and she get nothing? Although, he didn't get _all_ the friends. Vic chose to have a vendetta against him and Donna moved away to be with her. Donna... the name that had caused alert. Maybe it wasn't the mention of Donna. It was definitely the " _and_ " added afterwards. Only one person could be paired with that name. And right now, it wasn't Roy.

"Is Kory coming to visit?" He asked, his heart thrumming so loud he feared the others might hear it. He wouldn't be surprised if they could. "Just tell me how long."

Roy and Wally exchanged looks. The rush of emotions that went through their faces was hard to keep track of, but when Roy chose to speak in that almost sorry type of whisper, Dick understood completely. "You weren't supposed to find out, but Gar overheard Rachel talking on the phone with Donna. Gar, being himself, got too excited and told Wally, and then he told me." Hesitation. The wait to know the rest nearly killed him. "Donna and Kory are moving back down here."

That ending froze him.

 _Kory..._

The mere idea of her being here again sent a tsunami of feelings over him. Suddenly, he was overwhelmed, afflicted with a mix of thoughts he couldn't find his way out of.

 _That cerise hair that was always wavy, spun in curls that cascaded all the way down her back..._

Was it joy he felt? Relief to see her again when he hadn't in so long? Was there fear to see her again? It would be inexorable, impossible to escape the sight of her. Was there anger? Leftover rage from the argument that had torn their love apart. Was there pain? Heartbreak made by the resurfacing memory of her walking away from him in tears.

 _Those emerald eyes that seemed too unnaturally beautiful on her, yet what else could be expected from a walking goddess._

His mind spun, swirling in confusing circles that somehow made no sense and too much sense at the same time. He said nothing for minutes. The only sound was the noise from the car and the strong wind hitting his face. Eventually, he broke it.

"When is she moving back?"

"Uh." Wally shifted in his seat, scratching the back of his head. "Don't really know, boss. Gar only knew vague details, and honestly who knows? It could just be for a visit. He got all his information from what Rachel was saying and you know he can get a bit too excited for—"

"Less than a week." Once again, Roy interjected.

Time, an agonizingly long thing, suddenly became crushed down into mere days. He thought it would be months, or at least one. But no, he was down to days. _Days_ to search for the right words when he would see her again, _days_ to make a new impression on her, _days_ to spend wondering if she wanted to even see him again, _days_ to replay their last night together a million times in his head.

Days.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** _So yeah, this chapter was in Dick's POV. Chapters will alternate between Dick and Kory. Hopefully, it'll be consistent... one then the other, but I make no promises. Anyways, R &R! (; _


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